When an enterprise needed a new information system, it either hired a developer or acquired off-the-shelf software. There is now another option: low-code/no-code applications.
The low-code/no-code market will be flooded with major software vendors by the year 2022, predicts Ashish Chaturvedi, a principal analyst at global technology research and advisory firm ISG. It will grow at least three times its current market capitalization within three years. Its tentacles have spread far and wide in a space that was once niche and limiting.
Primary benefit: Agility and more
McIntire advises first adopters to focus on targeted business outcomes and specific use cases. Selecting the right platform can then be informed by these use cases. In establishing a governance model, organizations should also define the standards, policies, and procedures for developing and using the platform.
Training in application design is required.
Bootcamps are a popular way for employees to build projects using a low-code/no-code platform. Chaturvedi notes that all of the leading platform providers offer virtual academy where users can gain access to end-to-end documentation and training guides, as well as formal certifications.
Compromises and trade-offs in the Citizen Developer Concept
Citizen developer organizations must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of going no-code, low-code, custom-developed, and purchasing an off-the-shelf solution, Kum-Seun explains. For example, an application can be quickly and easily developed with a no-code solution but will be locked into the vendor's proprietary framework and technology stack.
No-code platforms are still relatively immature. While all organizations can explore their use, the primary objective should be to apply them to specific and focused use cases instead of a comprehensive enterprise solution.